ED widens KPSC probe into alleged irregularities in 50 posts

Former KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar and commission member Geetha, who were arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in veterinary officer recruitment, have been remanded to judicial custody.

Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate has intensified its investigation into alleged recruitment irregularities involving the Karnataka Public Service Commission, extending its scrutiny beyond the veterinary officer recruitment case to another examination for 50 Industrial Extension Officer posts.

Former KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar and commission member Geetha, who were arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in veterinary officer recruitment, have been remanded to judicial custody. The ED had produced the two before a court on October 7, following which they were placed in the agency’s custody until October 19.

After the custodial period ended on Monday, the accused were brought before the court again. As the ED did not request an extension of custody, the court ordered that they be sent to judicial custody.

In a separate development, the ED has taken up a case involving the recruitment of 50 Industrial Extension Officers in the Department of Commerce. A complaint had been registered at the Vidhana Soudha police station against Suma Sahukar, daughter of Shivashankarappa Sahukar, over alleged irregularities connected with her application and eligibility for the examination.

The examination was held in July 2025, and the eligibility list was published in February 2026. Suma Sahukar’s name was reportedly included in the list.

The allegations centre on her purported use of a low-income certificate to claim eligibility under the 3B reservation category. She allegedly declared an income of Rs 40,000 in the relevant documents. However, investigators reportedly found that her father earned a monthly salary of Rs 2,05,100 in 2019 and Rs 2,25,000 after 2021. The probe has also examined claims that the family’s immovable assets exceeded the prescribed limits.

The ED is examining whether the certificates submitted for the recruitment process contained false information and whether reservation benefits were claimed by misrepresenting the family’s financial position. The allegations have not yet been established in court.

The investigation is also focusing on other recruitment exercises conducted during Sahukar’s tenure at the KPSC. The agency is reportedly examining selections made from 2022 onwards amid information suggesting that irregularities may have occurred in several recruitment processes.

The expansion of the investigation signals a broader examination of recruitment procedures and the documents used by candidates to establish eligibility. The ED is continuing to collect and verify evidence to determine the extent of the alleged wrongdoing and whether other appointments require scrutiny.